It’s easy to recognize. We see the gold, bronze and scarlet brilliance that has adorned our strong maples and birches flutter to the ground. We hear the silence that remains after whistling redbirds and blue jays vanish from our northern sky. We imagine the crackling embers dancing inside the fire hearth as we smell the sweet aroma drifting lazily from a neighbor’s chimney. We touch the hardened earth and taste a crispness in the air. We know it is time for a change of seasons.
With the transition from fall to winter we welcome our most joyous holiday season – a time to feast and a time to offer thanks. This month, we offer thanks as a nation for the freedom to chart our own political course and exercise our right to vote. And, we offer thanks for the hard work and dedication of generations of selfless Americans who have made this freedom possible.
Aptly, in this issue, we reflect and praise those individuals who have made tremendous sacrifices to benefit the greater good. Our feature (“In Service of Fire and Family”, pg. 4) examines the history of volunteer firefighters in this great state – a tradition for many families, and a family- making tradition, rolled up in one.
In recognition of Veterans Day we offer our gratitude to those who have given their lives in service to our country as well as those brave men and women who have fought for, and continue to defend, our liberty with honor. Thousands of New Hampshire soldiers are stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Here at home, a brother-and-sister team has organized a tremendous effort to show appreciation to our local troops and we are proud to salute the efforts of Moore-Mart (“Troubadour Trumpets”, pg. 15).
Notice, too, this month’s “Troubadour Treasures” (pgs. 7 & 11), which originated during WWII and reflect a time when all Americans prayed for the safe return home of grandfathers, fathers, sons and brothers.
Always sharp with both wisdom and wit, even at age 94, WWII veteran Giacomo A. DeBlasi, a recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, is quick to point out, “The real heroes are the boys we left behind.” True. But equally heroic are the men and women who we could never thank enough for their efforts then, now, and always.
Michael DeBlasi
